Crime & Safety
Lane County, OR Missing Person Case Still Active After 5 Years
Blue River, OR – Five years after a 47 year old Oregon man vanished under suspicious circumstances near Blue River Reservoir, investigators are renewing attention on his disappearance following DNA co
By Lena Wood · 2026-11-06T10:05:14.312Z
Blue River, OR – Five years after a 47 year old Oregon man vanished under suspicious circumstances near Blue River Reservoir, investigators are renewing attention on his disappearance following DNA confirmation of additional human remains recovered from the McKenzie River.
According to the Lane County Sheriff 's Office, Thursday, Nov. 5, marked the fifth anniversary of Shane Sprenger's disappearance from the Blue River area in November 2021.
Despite the discovery and identification of his remains, authorities say the investigation remains active.
Human Remains Discovered Nearly Two Years Later Sprenger was last believed to have been near Blue River Reservoir before disappearing under circumstances investigators considered suspicious.
Lane County deputies, search and rescue teams, friends and family members conducted searches following his disappearance.
In June 2023, partial human remains were discovered in the McKenzie River drainage area.
Those remains were subsequently confirmed to belong to Sprenger.
Additional searches failed to uncover further evidence.
Additional Bone Fragment Identified Through DNA In September 2023, another bone fragment was recovered from the McKenzie River and submitted to the Oregon State Police crime laboratory.
After significant testing delays, Sprenger's family received assistance from Dylan's Legacy, a nonprofit supporting families of missing people.
The family arranged additional DNA testing through Bode Technology in Virginia.
The laboratory confirmed the fragment belonged to Sprenger, and his family was notified.
Detectives Continue Seeking Answers Although remains have been identified, authorities have not publicly established what happened to Sprenger or disclosed a cause of death in the anniversary announcement.
The Lane County Sheriff's Office emphasized that the case remains under active investigation.
Anyone with information about Sprenger's disappearance or the circumstances surrounding his death is encouraged to contact the sheriff's office at 541 682 4141 .
Callers should reference case No. 21 6268 .